PB barbel on a discarded hooklink!

SHREWSBURY AC secretary, Chris Wood, said:

“Six club members went to Collingham Weir on the Trent for a social session. As daylight faded, Matt’s upstream rod hooped over violently.

“To avoid a tangle I wound in his other rod, but it was snagged, and his hooklink was lost. Matt eventually landed a lovely 12lb 3oz barbel which was weighed, photographed and returned.

“He wanted to get both rods back out and was about to tie a fresh hooklink when I came over with one that I’d just found on the floor.

“There was nothing wrong with it, so to save time he attached it to his rig, put on a 14mm Krill pellet and cast both rods back out. He was in the middle of talking to the others about his fish when the rod with the found hooklink bent over!

“Straight away he knew it was a bigger fish and after a 10-minute fight, when it didn’t want to leave the bottom, this giant of 17lb 13oz was netted – beating his old PB by over 4lb.”

Matt Bradley and his 17lb 13oz barbel - caught on a discarded hooklink!